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With the economy still struggling, consumers can expect to find food bargains

between now and the end of the year.

“The goal is always to get as many customers through the doors as we can,” said Marsha Gilford, spokeswoman for Smith’s Food and Drug. “We try to be as competitive as we can possibly be. And this is the most important quarter of the year (for sales), so the goal is to have as much variety as we possibly can at the best price we can offer.”

Julie Murphree, Marketing Director for Arizona Farm Bureau who spearheads the quarterly food market basket for the state, said the competitive environment in Arizona is helping keep food prices down. Additionally, significant produce supply is keeping prices at good levels for consumers. She expects it to be a traditional fourth quarter this holiday season with bargains expected for consumers.

“Historically, people get pretty competitive during the holiday season on the food side,” She said. “Consider, for example, the bargains we’ll find at the grocery store on the price of a turkey as we near Thanksgiving.”

Arizona Farm Bureau’s food price market basket coordinator and one of the key shoppers, Peggy Jo Goodfellow, said, “There are definitely bargains to be had at your local grocery store.” Goodfellow recently went out and shopped four stores as the organization prepared to gear up for the Thanksgiving food market basket survey. She’ll make another round, along with her team of shoppers, closer to the Thanksgiving holiday.